Former Police Detective and His Wife Sentenced in Drug Conspiracy 

Keith Gidelson, 36, a former Philadelphia Police detective, was sentenced today to four years in prison for operating anabolic steroid and human growth hormone (HGH) distribution organization in Philadelphia and throughout the United States. His wife, Kirsten Gidelson, was sentenced to three years’ probation, with the first year on home confinement, and a $100 special assessment, for her participation in the conspiracy. Gidelson acquired steroids from foreign suppliers and then sold these steroids to his co-conspirators who distributed the drugs to their own customers. He pleaded guilty October 9, 2012, to conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids and 16 counts of possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond ordered Gidelson to pay a $25,000 fine and ordered three years of supervised release.

Gidelson received monthly shipments of anabolic steroids and HGH from suppliers in Europe and China. One supplier shipped the steroids to California, where defendant Robert Walters re-packaged them for shipment to Gidelson. Another supplier shipped orders of steroids to a mailbox that Gidelson had rented at a UPS store. Gidelson and his wife stored and packaged steroids and HGH at their home in Philadelphia. The couple met with drug customers, including defendants Michael Barclay, Keith Ebner, Jeffrey Filoon, Christian Kowalko, Joel Levin, Luke Lors, Joseph McIntyre, George Sambuca, William Schiavo, and Vaidotas Verikas, at their home and at Philadelphia-area fitness clubs to distribute anabolic steroids and HGH in various quantities.

Gidelson also distributed steroids to customers throughout the United States that he met through online weightlifting chat rooms on websites including: Steroids.com; Inject.com; Isteroids.com; and Bodybuilding.com. Gidelson also allegedly used the e-mail service Yahoo.com and the encrypted e-mail services hushmail.com and safe-mail.com to place orders and communicate with his foreign suppliers.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Axelrod.